The actual young actors
I think that our culture has a special relationship with young actors. I know that when I was a kid, I dreamed of being a young actor. I never really thought about acting classes or going to an audition - such thoughts didn't occur to me - but I dreamed that somehow I would get picked up by a TV show or end up in a feature movie.
The difference between me and the actual young actors who really made it, of course, was parental pressure. My parents were very laid back and made no effort to encourage me towards acting. Since they didn't, my young acting dreams were nothing more than pipe dreams.
Of course, in some ways I am sad that I've lived such a conventional life. Young actors get exposed to so much so young that it has to be a profound experience. Who doesn't want all that money, fame, and popularity? Especially as a kid, such worship from fans must be really amazing. I know that I used to have low self-esteem, and I can't help thinking that being a young actor would have helped me to improve my own self image.
Then again, young actors have problems that other people don't. I remember some of my favorite young male actors from when I was a kid and, when I look back at their careers, I see how many of them have ended in tragedy. People like River Phoenix and, of course, Corey Haim, have not had an easy go of it. Although they were child stars, they later burned out. Sometimes, as in the case of Phoenix, their youthful excesses ended in tragic deaths.
Still, even to this day I am somewhat thrilled when I see a shining young actor take the silver screen. If nothing else, it is amazing to see someone be able to harness so much talent at such a young age. Young actors are able to do things that many adults can not do. I know I have never felt comfortable on-screen, but many childhood actors make it look easy. It is always pleasant to look at a prodigy doing what he or she is best at, and acting is no exception. Just thinking about how some of these kids can make the difficult task of expressing human emotions look easy can send shivers down my spine. It really is a fascinating world we live in.
